Ukraine condemned to early exit from finals as Northern Ireland make history

Jonny Evans of Northern Ireland celebrates the win during the UEFA EURO 2016 Group C match between Ukraine and Northern Ireland at Stade des Lumieres on June 16, 2016 in Lyon, France. (Photo by Catherine Ivill - AMA/Getty Images)

by Keir Radnedge, AIPS Football Commission Chairman

LYON, June 17, 2016 - Ukraine
have become the first nation condemned to first-round elimination from Euro
2016 after only one week and two round of games in France.

The
depressing effect of their 2-0 defeat by Northern Ireland in Lyon was
compounded by the subsequent goalless draw between Germany and Poland in the
Stade de France in Saint-Denis. Ukraine, without any points in Group C, cannot
catch any of the other trio who all have four points apiece.

While
Ukraine were sinking into depression so Northern Ireland were celebrating after
their first victory in a tournament finals in 34 years. The last time the
Ulstermen had finished in triumph was at the final whistle of their remarkable
victory over hosts Spain at the 1982 World Cup.

Irish
manager Michael O'Neill, needing more attacking options after an opening defeat
by Poland, made five changes which included relegating top scorer Kyle Lafferty
to the substitutes' bench.

Lafferty's
place went to 24-year-old Conor Washington, the QPR striker who was working as
a postman and playing for St Ives in the ninth tier of English football the
last time the Euros were staged in 2012.

He
and Jamie Ward proved a handful for a Ukraine team who had kept 21 clean sheets
in their previous 39 games. Then Northern Ireland's strength from set-pieces
told again as 36-year-old veteran Gareth McAuley converted an Oliver Norwood free-kick
early in the second half.

After
a hail shower that saw the players withdrawn briefly, six minutes of stoppage
time were added in which Aberdeen winger Niall McGinn secured victory with the
second Northern Ireland goal.

Two
hours later world champions Germany and Poland played out the first goalless
draw of the finals - a result which sent teams on towards qualifying for the
knockout stage.

Germany's
Mario Gotze and Poland's Arkadiusz Milik wasted the best chance of the night within
the first 90 seconds of the second half while Arsenal midfielder Mesut Ozil
forced the best save of the night from Lukasz Fabianski who had replaced injured
Wojciech Szczesny in Poland's goal.

The
last round of matches in Group C kick off simultaneously on Tuesday with
Germany taking on Northern Ireland while Poland play homeward-bound Ukraine in
Marseille.